CARTERVILLE, Ill. (WSIL) — Southern Illinois Healthcare (SIH) is opening the door to some of the most advanced cancer treatments in the world, announcing that patients in the region now have access to multiple Phase III clinical trials — research opportunities typically limited to large academic centers in major cities.

At a press briefing Monday, SIH leaders emphasized how significant this expansion is for a rural region where many patients historically traveled hundreds of miles for clinical trial participation.

“It is a big deal. It is a very big deal,” said Sarmad Nomani, SIH’s Clinical Research Manager and IRB Administrator. “Phase III means the treatment has already proven effective and relatively safe. Now it’s being compared to standard care. To offer trials at that level here is

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